1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to onboard automobile navigation solutions. In particular, the invention relates to a docking station to integrate a GPS receiver and a hand held computer on the docking station to implement an automobile navigation system.
2. Description of Related Art
Known built in automobile navigation systems are very expensive and difficult to install. On the other hand, although hand held processors (commonly referred to as personal data assistants such as a Palm Pilot(trademark)) are currently integrated with cellular telephones for some purposes, such hand held processor are not integrated into automobile navigation systems with a GPS receiver. Hand held GPS receivers are known, but they do not integrate with user input navigation keys or a cellular telephone remote unit. The hand held GPS receiver system forces users to either use the receiver loose in their car or build their own mounting box or docking station. The loss of attention from the road by a driver looking to view a GPS receiver that is loose on a passenger seat, possibly fallen on to the floor, can be dangerous. Currently, if any of these components are connected together at all, they are connected in a jumble of loose wires subject to sliding and moving as the vehicle breaks, accelerates and corners. On the other hand, if the technology were built into the automobile""s dashboard, upgrades in these rapidly evolving technologies would require expensive modification or mechanical work on the dashboard.
In the present invention, existing component technologies (e.g., hand held processor and GPS receiver that a user might already own, are combined in a docking station into a navigation system. The navigation system might also advantageously include a cellular telephone to provide internet access. The docking station includes integrated user input buttons to request diverse types of navigation information. The docking station preferably includes a speaker by which the navigation system can give audible direction commands. The docking station integrates the existing component technologies over wired links, infrared links or RF links. All of the components are mounted directly to the dashboard, or indirectly through the docking station to the dashboard, using molded plastic clips. Non aggressive mounting, that snaps onto the automobile""s interior molding, using no adhesives or screws or bolts and nuts avoids damaging the automobile""s interior.
It is an object to the present invention to overcome limitations in the prior art. It is a further object of the present invention to combine known component technologies into an automobile navigation system.
These and other objects are achieved in an automotive docking station that includes user interface keys, an interface to a GPS receiver, an interface to a hand held processor, and a power interface to a vehicle.
These and other objects are alternatively achieved in a method of using a docking station that includes reading a current location from a GPS receiver integrated onto the docking station, and sending the current location to a hand held processor integrated onto the docking station to display a local map.